Wayland's recruiting teams on the road for the 20th year

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Miles away from the high plains of Texas, 18 young people have risen early in the
morning, pulled on rugged clothing and sturdy shoes for the day ahead. Packed with
games, activities and recreation, the day is far from relaxing, and these students
won't see their bunks again likely until later into the evening.

It's a summer marked by long days, short nights and travel across Texas, New Mexico
and into Colorado, all in the name of reaching students and having fun. Such is the
life of the three recruiting teams from Wayland Baptist University: Rec teams and
Rejoice.

Those in charge - namely WBU Admissions Director Shawn Thomas, who oversees the groups
and sets their schedules each summer - know such a venture can be difficult, expensive
and downright grueling. But each summer, Wayland students file in for applications
to serve on one of the teams.

This summer marks the 20th year recruiting teams of this nature have served Wayland
in the field. The practice first started in 1982, when musical ensemble Rejoice hit
the road, performing primarily in churches around the state and region. Two other
musical groups - His Brass and Tribute - also started touring that summer, again following
the church circuit. A few years later, the groups began visiting church camps, serving
as worship leaders and doing some recreation at the camps.

By the late 1980s, only Rejoice was still touring, with the other two groups gone
by the wayside. But a new group was now on the road: Rec Team. Designed specifically
to provide recreation services at camps, rec teams began visiting state encampments
and those in New Mexico as a recruiting arm of the admissions office at Wayland.

"The initial reason for these teams was to be recruitment and ministry teams, and
that's the same reason we still do it today," said Thomas. "We continue to do it because
of the impact on students we encounter, both spiritually and in relationships that
possibly might lead to recruiting contacts."

Whatever the formula, it obviously is working. New students to Wayland site encounters
with WBU teams - sometimes many years earlier - as having an impact on their decision
to come to the university. Even Thomas recalls having a Rejoice team at camp during
his youth days.

Now nearly three-quarters of the way through their summer tour, the teams have seen
lots of travel already. Rejoice will spend six of their ten weeks at Highland Lakes,
a Baptist camp near Austin, also traveling to Sivells and Inlow camps in New Mexico,
Latham Springs in Aquilla and Big Country in Lueders. The two rec teams have also
been to Highland Lakes, and will make appearances at Chaparral in Iowa Park, Circle
Six in Stanton, Alto Frio in Leakey, Inlow, Big Country, and Plains Baptist Assembly
in Floydada. A few Colorado camps are also on the circuit.

A reunion of those who have participated over the years in one of Wayland's recruiting
teams is planned for homecoming 2002, set for Nov. 22-23. Details are available by
calling alumni director Joe Provence at (806) 291-3600